For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
Counting the cost is important for many activities, including building projects. If I were to decide to build a house without considering whether I could afford it, I could well end up with little more than the foundation. A foundation that would be of little value to me. And I would have wasted both time and money on what would end up as a monument to foolishness.
Jesus used this example to illustrate something that we all too often overlook. In the two verses preceding this passage, Jesus told the crowd following Him that if they did not hate their family members, as well as themselves, they could not be His disciples. And if they did not take up their cross and follow Him, they could not be His disciples. There is a cost associated with being a disciple of Jesus.
Jesus is not literally telling us to hate our families. But He is telling us that nothing should come before Him. That includes our families, our jobs, our recreational activities, our finances, and even ourselves. To be His disciple, He must have first place in our lives.
We do a disservice to people when we tell them that all one must do is say a ‘sinner’s prayer’ and all is good. That kind of easy believism masks the cost of true discipleship. It could hinder growth and fruitfulness as a believer (1 Cor. 3:11-15). It could even result in an unwelcome verdict at the judgment (Matt. 7:21).
Being a disciple of Jesus costs me all I have and is a lifelong pursuit. It is not easy or cheap, but it is rewarding. Both in this life and the one to come.
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